Slug-casting machine



D. S. KENNEDY.

SLUG CASTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR-12.1917. 1 369 415 Patented July'8, 1919.

III, 1 1 B a I a TED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DAVID s. KENNEDY, or BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO MERGEN'THALER LINQTYPE COMPANY, A CORPORATION or NEW YORK.

SLUG-CAS'IING MACHINE.

Application filed April 12, 1917.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID S. KENNEDY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Slug-Casting Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing My invention relates to slug casting machines, such as linotypc machines of the general organization represented in Letters Patent of the United States No. 436,532, to O. Mergenthaler, wherein a. slug of linotype is cast in a slotted mold against a composed line of matrices Which produce the type characters thereon and the slug is subsequently ejected from the mold and stacked up in a galley. Ordinarily, these machines are equipped with trimming knives, which act upon the opposite side faces of the slug as it is ejected from the mold and cut away any overhanging fins or surplus metal to bring it to the proper thickness.

My invention aims to cast the slugs in such form that they will require no trim ming, and the manner in which this object is attained will be fully pointed out in the detailed description to follow.

In the accompanying drawings, I have shown my invention merely in preferred form and by way of example and as applied to a linotype machine, and obviously many changes and variations may be made therein and in. its mode of adaptation which will be comprised within its spirit. Generally speaking, I desire to to be ui'iderstood that I do not limit myself to any specific form or embodiment, except in so far as such limitations are specified in the claims.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a vertical section taken through the casting apparatus of a. linotype machine having my invention embodied therein Figs. 2 and 2 are enlarged sectional views, comparing and illustrating the difference between the old'and the new parts;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a slug cast in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 4: illustrates a modification; and

Fig. 5 is an end view of a slug produced by the modified construction.

The matrices X, after their composition in line, are transferred to the first elevator A, which descends and presents the com- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 8, 1919.

Serial No. 161,413.

posed line before the slotted mold B, comprising the fiXed body portion B and the recessed cap portion B The mold is carried by the rotary wheel or disk D, which, upon the lowering of the first elevator, advances facewise to bring the mold into close contact with the matrix line, the latter thus closing the mold slot at the front. The mold. is then sealed at the rear by the mouthpiece C of the melting pot C, and in this condition of the parts (Fig. 1) the molten metal is injected into the mold for the casting of the slug. After casting, the disk carries the mold around to a vertical position before an ejector blade which advances from the rear and pushes the slug before it through a port opening in the vise frame and into the usual galley.

The matrices are provided on their opposite edges with projecting ears X and in their mold engaging edges with routing notches X containing at their bottoms formative cavities or intaglio characters X which are inverted and arranged for alinement at their tops, as is generally the case. The alinement of the m atriX characters with the mold slot is effected by the engagement of the lower projecting ears X of the mat rices with the alining rib B formed on the body portion of the mold, such engagement being brought about by the slight rising movement of the first elevator .JlllCll takes place immediately preceding the casting operation. The under face of the rib B" thus constitutes the alining surface of the mold. while the upper faces of the cooperating projecting ears X constitute the alining surfaces of the respective matrices. The parts so far described and their mode of operation, except as hereinafter pointed out, are substantially the same as heretofore.

It is well known that the alining surfaces of the mold and of the matrices bear definite relations to certain datum lines governing the manufacture and adjustment of the parts. The datum line of the mold, more commonly known as the constant line, is one usually passing through or coincident with the upper or inner face of the body portion B when the latter, as it customarily is, is secured in fixed position on the disk D; and the datum line of the matrices when their inverted charactes are designed for top alinement, as herein, is one which passes through the matrix bodies at the lowest point thereon to which the characters may extend, this point being located from the alining surfaces of the matrices at a distance equal to that between the alining surface of the mold and the inner face of its lower wall, so that when the matrices are properly alined in casting relation to the mold, the datum lines of these parts will coincide.

It is on account of the above relation of the parts that the necessity for trimming the cast slugs now largely exists. That is to say, since during the casting operation the datum lines of the mold and matrices practically coincide, the lower portions of the routing notches of those matrices whose characters reach or extend down to the matrix datum line will overlap the bottom wall of the mold to a slight extent, such routing notches necessarily being of greater height than the characters themselves. Thus, in F ig. 2 which illustrates one of the old matrices of the display variety in casting relation to the mold, it will be ob served that a portion of the routing notch X extends below the datum line rew of the mold or the top or inner face of the body portion B As a result, the slug is cast with an overhanging fin which must be removed or trimmed off before the slug can be assembled and locked up with other slugs in a printing form.

In accordance with my invention, specifically, I propose to change the position of the datum line of the matrices so as to locate it at a distance from their alining surfaces greater than that between the aliiiing surface of the mold and its datum line such that during casting the routing notches of all of the matrices will not extend outward beyond the datum line of the mold or overlap the inner face of that mold wall which. is adjacent to the datum line of the matrices. Thus, in Fig. 2, the datum line of my improved matrices is indicated by the line y y which, when the matrices are alined with reference to the mold, stands above the constant line a2w of the latter at such distance as to bring the routing notches X above or in registry with the inner or top face of the mold body portion B As a result of this new arrangement of the parts, there will be produced a slug Z of the form indicated in Fig. 3, bearing on its edge the pedestals Z cast in the routing notches X and the type characters Z cast in the formative cavities X It will be noted that the pedestals Z slope upwardly and inwardly toward the center of the slug away from its side face, and hence present no overhanging fins which it would be re q'uired to trim off.

In Fig. l the matrices X are of the twoletter variety, being provided with duplicate characters 0: of a smaller size and located at the bottom of the routing notches m and these matrices are shown in casting relation to the mold E comprising the fixed body portion E and the cap portion E which in this instance is plain or unrecessed. To accommodate the two-letter matrices, the body portion E is provided with two alining ribs E and E the latter, as customary, being} located on the so-called keeper plate E which is secured to the body portion. The alining ears X of the matrices engage one or the other of the alining ribs E E, according to the longitudinal adjustment of the matrices when presented to the mold. Thus, in Fig. the alining rib of one matrix is shown in engagement with the upper rib E and that of the other matrix in engagement with the lower rib E effecting the proper registration of the lower and upper characters of the respective matrices with the mold slot. It will be understood, of course, that the duplicate characters on the matrices are punched therein with datum lines, one governing the location of the upper characters and the other the location of the lower characters. As in the instance first described, these respective datum lines are located at such distances from the alining ears X as to prevent the corresponding routing notches 00 -in either position of the matrices from overlapping the upper face of the mold body portion E or extending beyond the datum line which passes through said face. As a result of this arrangement, the slug will be cast free from the objectionable overhanging tins and consequently will require no trimming.

A slug Y, as produced from the parts shown in Fig. 4t, is illustrated in end view in Fig. 5, bearing on its edge the pedestals Y cast in the routing notches .12 and the type characters Y cast in the formative cavities ".0 and it will be noted that the pedestals Y slope upwardly and inwardly away from the side face of the slug along which the type characters are alined at their tops. It is pointed out that the pedestals Y overhang the slug at its opposite face, due to the fact that, as shown in Fig. l,-the matrix routing notches w are of greater height than the mold slot and consequently overlap the cap portion E of the mold.- These slugs are of the overhanging-character variety, the extent of the overhang varying in accordance with the size or height of the matrix characters, as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 5.

It is pointed out that the relation of the parts above described not only applies to matrices of any given font, but also to matrices of diiferent fonts; that is to say, the matrix characters of all fonts are punched in the matrices with reference to the new reference to two ena-ass datum line which is common to all of them, the larger sized characters or capitals when alined at their tops extending varying distances above the datum line according to size or point, so that irrespective of the size or height of such matrix characters the routing notches never extend outward beyond the datum line of the mold or the inner face of its side wall which is adjacent the datum line of the matrices. As is well known, the upper wall of the mold is usually adjustable toward or from the lower fixed wall to accommodate the varying sizes of the matrix characters, whose routing notches may or may not overlap the upper wall according to its position or the kind or size of the characters employed.

As is well understood in the art, while all the characters are punched in the matrix bodies with reference to a common datum line as above described, some of the characters, for instance the lower case characters without ascenders, do not touch the datum line but terminate some distance above it so as to aline properly with the other characters of the font, and consequently the routing notches of these particular matrices will not necessarily have to extend beyond the datum or constant line of the molt. On the other hand, the remaining characters of the font, such for instance as the upper case characters or capitals and lower case charactors with ascenders, ctc., extend entirely to and actually touch the datum line so that the routing notches of these matrices must necessarily overlap the constant line of the mold. It follows, therefore, that in the use of any matrix font in the machine the necessity for trimming the slugs cast therefrom is and must be present, due specifically to the manufacture of the matrices or the punching of the characters in their body portions with reference to a datum "line which is located from the alining surfaces of the matrices at a distance equal to that between the alining surface of the mold and its datum line. However, in accordance with my invention, by changing the position of the datum line of the matrices so as to locate it from their alining surfaces at a distance greater than that between the alining surface of the mold and its datum line, the routing notches of all of the matrices, irrespective of the characters they contain, (whether upper or lower case or otherwise) will, in the casting relation of the parts, terminate above the datum or constant line of the mold and hence not overlap the inner face of its lower wall such as would cause the formation of the objectionable fins above referred to.

As previously stated, I have shown my improvements merely in preferred form and by way of example and as applied to the particular kind of machine noted, but ole viously many modifications and variations therein and in their mode of application will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art without departure from the scope of the invention. Thus, while it is preferable and advantageous that the desired results be accomplished by changing the location of the matrix datum line, it is obvious that they might be realized by modifying the parts in a different manner, as, for instance, by re ducing the thickness of the mold alining rib, so as to allow the matrices to be shifted to higher position with reference to the mold to bring their datum line above that the mold. It will also be apparent that my invention is applicable to other systems of matrix alinement, as for example, the socalled base or universal alinement, wherein the matrix characters are alined at their bases instead of at their tops.

Having thus described my invention, its construction and mode of operation, what i claim and desire to secure by Letter; f at ent of the United States, is as follows:

1. in a typographical casting machine, the combination a slotted mold having an alining surface located at a. given distance from its datum line, and a coope "lug line of matrices having aliuiug surfzu-es to engage that of the mold and formed in their mold engaging edges with routing notches containing at their bottoms formative cavities or characters situated with reference lo a common datum line, the distance between the alining surfaces of the matrir and their datum line beine greater than that between the alining surface of the mold and its datum line to such an extent as to prevent the outward extension of the routing notches beyond the inner face of the mold wall adjacent the datum line of the matrices.

2. In a typographical casting machine, the combination of a slotted mold having an alining surface located at the usual dis-- tance from its datum line. and a cooperating line of matrices having uliuing surfaces to engage that of the mold and formed in their mold engaging edges .vith routing notches containing at their bottoms formative cavities or characters situated with reference to combination of a slotted mold having an I alining surface and a cooperating line of matrices having alining surfaces to engage that of the mold and formed in their mold engaging edges with routing notches containing at th ir bottoms formative cavities or characters arranged to be alined at one end, the said parts beingrelatively constructed so that when their alining surfaces are in engagement, the routing notches of the matrices irrespective of the characters they contain do not extend beyond the inner face of the mold wall adjacent the alinement ends of the matrix characters.

4.111 a typographical casting machine, the combination of a slotted mold including a fixed body portion provided with an alining surface, and a coope ating line of matrices having alining surfaces to engage that of the mold and formed in their mold engaging edges with routing notches containing at their bottoms inverted formative cavities or characters arranged for top aline ment, the said matrices having their characters irrespective of kind located at such distance from their alining surfaces as to avoid the extension of the routing notches outward beyond the inner face of the mold body portion when the matrices are alined in casting relation to the mold.

5. The combination with a slug casting mold having an alining surface located at a given distance from its datum line, of a matrix adapted to cooperate with the mold, the said matrix being provided with an allning surface to engage that of the mold and formed in its mold engaging edge with a routing notch containing at its bottom a formative cavity or character arranged therein with reference to a datum line which is located from the alining surface of the matrix at a distance greater than that between the alining surface of the mold and its datum line, for the purpose described.

6. The combination with a slug casting mold whose datum line is coincident with the inner face of its lower wall and having an alining surface located at the usual distance from said datum line, of a matrix adapted to cooperate with the mold, the said matrix being pr vided with an alining surface to engage that of the mold and formed in its mold engaging edge with a routing notch containing at its bottom an inverted formative cavity or character arranged therein with reference to a datum line which is located from the alining surface of the matrix at a distance greater than that between the alining surface of the mold and its datum line, for the purpose described.

7. The combination with a slug casting mold having an alining surface, of a matrix adapted to cooperate with the mold, the said matrix being provided with an alining surface to engage that of the mold and formed in its mold engaging edge with a routing not-ch containing at its bottom a formative cavity or character, and the said parts being relatively constructed such that when their alining surfaces are in engagement, the routing notch of the matrix irrespective of its character will not extend beyond the inner face of the mold wall adjacent the alinement end of the matrix character.

8. The combination with a slug casting mold having an alining surface located at a given distance from its datum line, of a font of matrices adapted to cooperate with the mold, the said matrices being provided with alining surfaces to engage that of the mold and formed in their mold engaging edges with routing notches containing at their bottoms formative cavities or characters arranged therein with reference to a common datum line which is located from the alining surfaces of the matrices at a distance greater than that between the alining surface of the mold and its datum line to such extent as to avoid the extension of the routing notches of all the matrices of the font beyond the inner face of the mold wall adjacent the matrix datum line.

In testimony whereof, I have affixed my signature.

DAVID S. KENNEDY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

